Survey vs Questionnaire: What's the difference? | SurveyMonkey

Surveys versus questionnaires ... A questionnaire is any written set of questions, while a survey is both the set of questions and the process of collecting, ... ProductsSurveysSurveyMonkeyCreate&sendsurveyswiththeworld’sleadingonlinesurveysoftwareEnterpriseEmpoweryourorganizationwithoursecuresurveyplatformIntegrations&Plug-insBringsurveyinsightsintoyourbusinessappsSpecializedproductsAudienceCollectsurveyresponsesfromourglobalconsumerpanelCXUnderstand&improvecustomerexperience(NPS®)EngageUnderstand&increaseemployeeengagementTechValidateCreatemarketingcontentfromcustomerfeedbackApplyCollect,review&manageapplicationsonlineWufooGatherdata&paymentswithonlineformsGetFeedbackCustomerfeedbackforSalesforceViewallproductsSolutionsSurveyTypesCustomerSatisfactionCustomerLoyaltyEventSurveysEmployeeEngagementJobSatisfactionHRSurveysMarketResearchOpinionPollsConceptTestingPeoplePoweredDataforbusinessCustomersWinmorebusinesswithCustomerPoweredDataEmployeesBuildastrongerworkforcewithEmployeePoweredDataMarketsValidatebusinessstrategywithMarketPoweredDataSolutionsforteamsCustomerExperienceDelightcustomers&increaseloyaltythroughfeedbackHumanResourcesImproveyouremployeeexperience,engagement&retentionMarketingCreatewinningcampaigns,boostROI&drivegrowthEducationElevateyourstudentexperienceandbecomeadata-driveninstitutionExploremoresurveytypesResourcesResourcesBestpracticesforusingsurveys&surveydataCuriosityatWorkOurblogaboutsurveys,tipsforbusiness,&moreHelpCenterTutorials&how-toguidesforusingSurveyMonkeyExploreour180+surveytemplatesPlans&PricingLoginSignupSurveyvsquestionnaire:What'sthedifference?GetstartedIsasurveythesameasaquestionnaire?Don’tworryifyoudon’tknowtheanswer.Youaren’talone.Manypeople,evenprofessionalresearchers,stillusethetwotermsinterchangeably.Whileyou’veprobablyheardplentyofpeopleusethetermsassynonyms,it’simportanttoknowthedistinctioninasurveyvsquestionnaire.The differencebetweensurveyandquestionnaire isthatthelatterincludesanywrittensetofquestions;whiletheformerisboththesetofquestionsandtheprocessofcollecting,aggregating,andanalyzingtheresponsesfromthosequestions.Inotherwords,“questionnaire”describescontent,while“survey”isabroadertermthatdescribescontent,method,andanalysis.SurveysversusquestionnairesAquestionnaireisanywrittensetofquestions,whileasurveyisboththesetofquestionsandtheprocessofcollecting,aggregating,andanalyzingtheresponsesfromthosequestions.Let’sreviewasurveyvsquestionnairemoreclosely,andexplorehowyoucanexcelinexecutingeach!HowtowriteagreatquestionnaireAnysetofquestions,nomatterhowpersonalorgeneralthesubjectmatter,isaquestionnaire.Whetheryourquestionnairestandsonitsownorispartofasurvey,togetgreatresultsyouneedtoaskgreatquestions.Checkourguidetowritingsurveyquestionslikeaproformoreaboutselectinggreatquestionsforyourquestionnaire.Also,asyouwriteaquestionnaire,keepitslengthinmind.Asthenumberofquestionsincreases,thecompletionrateoftendecreases.Inonestudy,wefoundthatquestionnaireswith40questionshaveabouta10%lowerresponseratethanquestionnaireswith10questions.Peoplealsotendtospendabout10minutesfillingoutaquestionnaire,regardlessofitslength.Thismeansthatifyouaskfewerquestions,yourrespondentsarelikelytospendmoretimeoneachquestion.SendyoursurveytoalargeorsmallgroupofpeoplewithouronlineAudiencepanel.Our2-questionNPSsurveymaybeanextremeexample(givenhowshortitis),butit’seffectiveinmotivatingrespondentstoanswereachquestionthoughtfully:3stepstorunningasuccessfulsurveyThewayyoudesign,implement,andanalyzeasurveyimpactsyourresultsasmuchasthequestionsyouask.Let’sdiveintoeachoftheseareas:Surveydesignmarksakeydifferencebetweensurveyandquestionnaire.Itinvolvesplanningeachpartofyoursurveyproject—fromdefiningyoursurveygoalstoaligningonwhoreviewsyoursurveyresponses.Learnmoreaboutsurveydesignbycheckingoutourbestpractices.Thewayyoucollectresponsesalsoimpactsyoursurvey.Youcanuseanumberofapproachestocollectingfeedback–includingsharingalinktoyoursurveyonsocialmedia,emailingthesurveytoyouraudience,andembeddingitonyoursite.Andifyouneedhelpsurveyingyourtargetmarket,SurveyMonkeyAudiencecanhelp.Astheresponsescomein,youcantakeacloserlookatthemthroughSurveyMonkeyAnalyze.Thetooloffersavirtuallyendlessnumberofwaystosegment,aggregate,andanalyzeyoursurveyresponsessothatyoucanbetterunderstandyourfeedbackandmakegreatdecisions.Whentouseasurveyinsteadofaquestionnaire—andviceversaTherearelimitedusecasesforstand-alonequestionnaires.Theseusecasesincludebuildinganemaillist,acceptingpaymentsordonations,orcollectingpersonalaccountsforaresearchproject.Wufooisoftenidealfortheseapplications,especiallywhenpaymentsareinvolved.If–ontheotherhand–you’relookingforfeedbackfromyourrespondents,asurveyisabetteroption.Itaggregatesdatafrommultiplerespondents,sothatyoucanmakebroadconclusionsaboutyourresults.Nowthatyoucananswerthelong-heldquestion:“Isasurveythesameasaquestionnaire?”youcanstartcollectingactionablefeedbacktoday!Startyoursurvey.SeehowSurveyMonkeycanpoweryourcuriosityGetstarted